Spinneret wiper

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for wipe cleaning the extrusion face of a spinneret that includes a post mounted in the center of the spinneret normal to its extrusion face with a bushing mounted to the post for movement toward and away from the extrusion face and for rotary movement about the post. An arm is attached to the bushing and extends outwardly from the bushing toward the orifices. A blade is attached to the arm and the blade has an edge parallel to the extrusion face of the spinneret of sufficient width to encompass the spinneret orifice area in one revolution of the blade around the post.

United States Patent [191 1 $804,569

1,177,148 3/1916 Steiner Walker 7 Apr. 16, 1974 [54] SPINNERET WIPER904,421 1 H1908 Griffin 425/31 1 [75] Inventor: Calvin Brooks walkerWilmington 3,608,192 9/1971 Hansel 30/310 N.C. FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS llsssigneet E. I. du Pont de Nemours d, 1,186,605 Germany13 Com y Wilmington Del. 945,215 7/1956 Germany 30/310 p 649,814 10/1962Canada 425/313 [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1972 [21] Appl No 287 488 7 PrimaryExaminer-Daniel Blum 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 425/225, 425/464, 15/246, 1e

30/310 .An apparatus for wlpe cleanmg the extrusion face of a [51] CL 1Bosh 13/00 1329f 3/04 spmneret that Includes a post mounted m the centerof [58] i H 15/104 R 2565 the spinneret normal to its extrusion facewith a bush- 30/3O0, 311; 241/166; 425/225 226, 232, ing mounted to thepost for movement toward and 311 313 464 away from the extruslon faceand for rotary movement about the post. An arm is attached to thebushing and s extends outwardly from the bushing toward the ori- [56]References C'ted fice's. A blade is attached to the am and the blade hasUNITED STATES PATENTS an edge parallel to the extrusion face'ofthe'spinn'eret 1,205,710 11/1916 Cavagnaro 425/311 of sufficient widthto encompass the pinneret'orifice 241/166 area in one revolution of theblade around the post. 241/166 X I 1,084,854 l/19l4 Ganzorn.....

' 2,277,123 3/1942 Majestic 241/166:X :2 Claims, 3 Drawing FiguresSPINNERET WIPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to adevice forcleaning the extrusion face of a spinneret.

In the conventional melt spinning of synthetic fibers from thermoplasticpolymers, the polymeric materials after being heated to a plastic,flowable state are forced under pressure through minute holes formed inthe face of a spinneret plate to form filamentary structures which aftersuitable treatment such as cooling and stretching are wound ontopackages or formed into tows for further processing into filaments oryarns suitable for use in various textile articles. During the extrusionprocess, deposits of decomposed polymeric materials and/or variouspolymeric ingredients form around the extrusion orifices in thespinneret. Periodically, this accumulation of deposits is removed bywiping or scraping the face of the spinneret plate with a tool generally referred to as a wipe stick. In the course of such wiping, thespinneret orifices are subject to damage from the ends of the wipe stickblade. Variations in wiping technique among operating personnel alsolead to differences in the uniformity and completeness of the wipingoperation. Subsequent spinning performance is affected to .a largedegree depending on the skill of the particular operator to wipe cleanlyand without damaging theiorifices. Conventional apparatus for wipingspinnerets is a hand held wipe stick operated freehand. 1

U ARY oF THE INVENTION a blade attached to said arm, said blade havingan edge 1 parallel to said extrusion face, the movement of said bushingtoward said extrusion face being sufficient to permit said edge toengage said extrusion face. The

edge of said blade has sufficient width to encompass the spinneretorifice area in one revolution of said blade around said post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view partly in sectionof the novel spinneret wiper shown in association with a spinneret.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the wiper in use during a wipe,cycle, and

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another wipepath that may be madewith theinvention.

DETAILED "DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

In FIG. 1, there is shown apart of a standard melt spinning spinneretwhich is normally a steel plateof sufficient thickness to withstand theextrusion pressures associated with melt spinning of syntheticfilaments.Molten polymer is forced under pressure by means not shown through thespinneret orifices 16. The spinneret is bolted by suitable means such asmounting bolts 12 to the spinneret block of a melt spinning machine notshown. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the spinneretis to be wiped, the center mounting bolt of the spinneret is removedafter the flow of molten polymer is stopped and the hex head bolt 13 isscrewed into the center threaded section of the pack cavity vacated bythe mounting bolt. The shoulder 15 of the hex head bolt 13 is turned uptight to the bottom surface or extrusion face of the spinneret 10. Thewiper assembly comprising rotatable bushing slipped onto center post 18and carrying horizontal arm 22 and wiper blade in handle 28 is thenfixed to the spinneret by screwing the center post into the threadedhead section of the hex head bolt 13. The position of the wiper blade 30fixed to handle 28 which is slidably mounted in collar 27, may beadjusted then looked in the desired location by means of the set screw26 in the collar. The length selected in the design of horizontal arm 22is determined by the location of the holes in the spinneret face. Thewidth of the wiping edge 31 of blade 30 is selected to extend the edgebeyond the innermost and outermost rowof holes in the circular holepattern and the blade face is mounted es- I sentiallyon a radial linefrom the center of the mounting post 18. The assembly maintains theblade edge parallel to the spinneret face and. permits guiding the bladein a circular pattern such that the blade ends are always outside of thespinneret orifice area.

Inoperation, after attachment of the wiper. to the spinneret, wiping isaccomplished as shown in FIG. 2 by the operator who grasps handle 28 andslides the rotatable bushing 20 up center post 18 so that the bladecontacts the spinneret face, and then in a circular mo tion whose pathis determined by the assembly, completes the circuit of the blade incontact with the face a minimum of once around the spinneret, endingwith contact smoothly released andthe blade away from the spinneretface. The bushing 20, preferably a' ball bushing, permits both verticalmovement toward and away from the extrusion face of the spinneret 10 androtary movement around post 18 of the wiper. Vertical movement isnecessary to permit endingthe wipe with the blade off the spinneretsurface. In its rotary movement,- the blade is guided in a fixed circlematched to the spinneret hole pattern by the length of the horizontalarm The wiper may be used to wipe any spinneret that permits location ofa pivot point. FIG. Sillustrates the wipe path of a blade rotated abouta pivot point 34 located outside the periphery 36 of the hole patternarea of a spinneret face. In this embodimennthe center post may bemounted with a hex head bolt 13fitted to a part of the spinning machine(not shown), or by replace ment of a mounting bolt 12. supporting thespinneret periphery by the hex head bolt 13. Blade width and sweep areare selected so that the wiping .areaof the blade encompasses the holeareaof thespinneret as illustrated. Starting and finishing posi-tions ofblade 30 and the outline (broken lines) of its arcuate path during awipeare shown. I I

The mechanical wiper of this invention, eliminates damage: to theorifices from scratches caused by the ends of the wiper blade.Thesescratches are common with hand guided wiping. The repair of orificesdamaged by these scratches entails considerable labor by skilledoperators. lf damage is severe, the spinnerets must .be discarded.Spinneret wiping with the mechanical wiper of this invention, prolongsspinneret operating time before a spinning pack change is necessary. Inaddition, improved spinning continuity and product yield are realizedwhen the wiping means of this invention is used because more evencontact pressure may be maintained and more uniform and complete wipingis achieved.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wipe cleaning the extrusion face of a spinneretattached to a spinning pack assembly by a plurality of bolts includingone center mounting bolt, said spinneret having a plurality of spinningorifices arranged around said center mounting bolt, said apparatuscomprising: a post for mounting in place of said center mounting bolt; arotatable bushing slidably mounted on said post for movement toward andaway around said post.

1. An apparatus for wipe cleaning the extrusion face of a spinneretattached to a spinning pack assembly by a plurality of bolts includingone center mounting bolt, said spinneret having a plurality of spinningorifices arranged around said center mounting bolt, said apparatuscomprising: a post for mounting in place of said center mounting bolt; arotatable bushing slidably mounted on said post for movement toward andaway from said extrusion face and for rotating movement around saidpost; an arm attached to and extending outwardly from said bushingtoward said orifices; and a blade attached to said arm, said bladehaving an edge parallel to said extrusion face, the movement of saidbushing toward said extrusion face being sufficient to permit said edgeto engage said extrusion face.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,the edge of said blade having sufficient width to encompass thespinneret orifice area in one revoltion of said blade around said post.